{"id":135925,"date":"2023-10-25T00:02:21","date_gmt":"2023-10-25T04:02:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/?p=135925"},"modified":"2023-10-25T16:38:18","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T20:38:18","slug":"universities-denied-grieving-jewish-students-accommodations-neglected-duty-to-protect-them-civil-rights-organization","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecollegefix.com\/universities-denied-grieving-jewish-students-accommodations-neglected-duty-to-protect-them-civil-rights-organization\/","title":{"rendered":"Universities denied grieving Jewish students accommodations: civil rights organization"},"content":{"rendered":"

‘The world is watching,’ human rights group told universities. ‘Will you rise to the occasion?’<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Amid rising campus antisemitism, civil rights groups wrote to more than 500 university presidents reminding them of their obligations to Jewish students and demanding protections that reportedly had been denied.<\/p>\n

Alyza Lewin, president of The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, told The College Fix <\/em>that grieving Jewish students had been denied accommodations following the Hamas attacks, which for many occurred during midterm exams.<\/p>\n

This failure contrasted with the willingness of universities to grant accommodations after the murder of George Floyd or the election of President Donald Trump, she said.<\/p>\n

Brandeis Center issued its letter<\/a> to universities on October 12, with the Anti-Defamation League and eight other \u201cJewish and civil rights organizations\u201d signing on to \u201cexpress [their] shared concern about the safety and well-being of Israeli and Jewish members\u201d on campus after \u201cthe worst pogrom committed against Jews since the Holocaust.\u201d<\/p>\n

“The world is watching,” the groups wrote. “Will you rise to the occasion?”<\/p>\n

The Fix<\/em> emailed Harvard, Yale, Princeton, the California State University System, Yeshiva University, and Texas A&M University to ask whether they had received the letter and to confirm or deny that grieving Jewish students had been denied accommodation requests. No response has been received.<\/p>\n

The letter reminds universities of their commitment under Title VI<\/a> of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to protect Jewish and Israeli students from a \u201chostile environment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEvents that celebrate Hamas\u2019 cold-blooded murder of Jews\u201d create such an environment, according to the letter.<\/p>\n

In a webinar<\/a> accompanying the letter, posted to YouTube last week, Lewin called the denial of protections \u201cunconscionable\u201d in light of \u201cwhat has been going on and what continues to be going on in Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Denise Katz-Prober, the Brandeis Center\u2019s Director of Legal Initiatives, spoke in the video on hostility toward \u201cJewish and Israeli students on college and university campuses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Universities \u201cshould be issuing strong statements that demonstrate support for the Jewish community but that condemn the actions of Hamas,\u201d Katz-Prober said.<\/p>\n

\u201cPro-Palestinian anti-Zionist groups like Students for Justice in Palestine and others on campus are sounding more aggressive . . . in their language since the Hamas attacks,\u201d she stated.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese groups are openly and loudly supporting, celebrating, justifying, and glorifying last weekend\u2019s massacre of Jews and Israelis by Hamas,\u201d Katz-Prober said. \u201cThey are often described by these groups as essential or as legitimate Palestinian resistance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many groups used National Students for Justice in Palestine-created banners depicting Hamas paragliders descending on Israeli civilians at the start of the attack, she said.<\/p>\n

Protestors under the NSJP banner coincided with Hamas\u2019s call for \u201ca global jihad against Jews,\u201d which was \u201cadding to a very real sense of physical fear for students,” Katz-Prober said.<\/p>\n

Earlier this month, dozens of Harvard University groups signed a letter that \u201ch[e]ld the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence\u201d against Israeli civilians, The Fix<\/em> reported<\/a> at the time.<\/p>\n

Last chance to support student journalists<\/span><\/a> during our Back to School fundraising campaign! We’re very close to our goal of $25,000. The deadline for the matching offer is quickly approaching so please\u00a0donate by Oct. 31<\/a> to help us meet the goal.\u00a0<\/strong>Thank you!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

MORE: Jewish advocacy group accuses CUNY of rampant antisemitism<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

IMAGE: Connecticut College<\/p>\n

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